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Sweetwater has a rating of 3.4 stars from 1,193 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally satisfied with their purchases. Reviewers satisfied with Sweetwater most frequently mention customer service, sales rep, and free shipping. Sweetwater ranks 2nd among Music Equipment sites.
This company responds to reviews on average within 4 hours
Sweetwater's customer service is phenomenal! They have a good range of products and with good prices. The guitar we bought was affordable and great quality. It arrived quickly with no damage - it was packed well. I was surprised and impressed to get a call from Sweetwater just a few days after the guitar was delivered. They were just making sure everything was good. That's great customer service!
Ordered some products then the next day A representative reached out and said they were sold out & products would not be available till January and wanted to know if I still wanted them. I let them know I did. They reached back out two days later saying their was a glitch in the website and I could not have the products for the price I purchased them for. I was fished to their website to buy the products on a sponsored advertisement from Google. False Advertising is Illegal. My Wife has got me gear from these guys for years. I have advised her and she will no longer make purchases through them.
Fits very well. A little on the pricey side... probably cause it say Marshall on it. I'm sure it will keep the dust at bay and offer some protection
Date of experience: June 25, 2017
Was there on Sunday, loved our waitress. Her name was Chippie. She was awesome!. She ran circles around those younger kids. What a nice experience!
Date of experience: May 23, 2016
They are very easy to work with, knowledgeable, and get things to you quickly and cheaply. A 1st class operation.
Date of experience: December 14, 2015
I'm happy with all purchases from Sweetwater. Has all my music needs. Special thanks to Chris Lewis for all help.
Date of experience: October 17, 2017
I received a Follow up call after I placed order and got my order in good time too. Highly recommend!
Date of experience: February 28, 2019
Always great service and very prompt delivery. Never an issue and they always follow up to make sure you're satisfied.
Date of experience: March 2, 2018
Unprecedented service. Simply put the best I have ever seen in any business field. I have been more than satisfied.
Tip for consumers:
You may find equal equipment slightly cheaper but you won't find more reliable service.
Products used:
Professional music equipment including studio monitors and musical gear including guitars
Date of experience: June 23, 2021
Love ordering from them. Quality products, fast shipping, and great service. James, my rep, answers questions and makes great recommendations
Date of experience: August 21, 2018
Very awesome service. A total of 5 purchases I made with Sweetwater, and all of them have superb mailing service.
Date of experience: October 6, 2021
Sweetwater takes pride in doing the right thing. We appreciate you taking the time to comment on your experience. Thank you, Lyndon!
-Stacia Brinneman, Sweetwater Customer Experience
Really like Sweetwaters 55 point inspection, I fill like it helped me get an undamaged product and shipping was fast and on time.
Date of experience: May 31, 2019
I never delt with a music company that got my gear to me as fast, when I need it and with great tracking.
Date of experience: June 22, 2021
Thank you for your review, Reginald! I am happy to hear that you received your gear in a timely manner and were provided with great and accurate tracking! We work hard to go the extra mile for each customer!
- Quincee Musselman, Sweetwater Customer Experience
Excellent customer service, good inventory, good prices, fast shipping, friendly, knowledgeable and helpful staff.
Date of experience: June 20, 2020
The in-ear monitor had low base quality and the tools haven't as high quality as I expected and the years of purchases I can't E V E R get a special discount, no more than 10 dollars
Tip for consumers:
More communication is always a better way of business.
Products used:
The shipping eats all of us small guys, so I end-up using all I purchase
Date of experience: January 3, 2022
Excellent web site, easy to use, good product, personalized service! Very satisfied! I will continue to use this site for my music equipment needs.
Date of experience: June 2, 2017
I have purchased many microphones, preamps, etc. from Sweetwater over the years. They always have the best prices and it's always a great experience.
Date of experience: September 28, 2019
Prompt, friendly, and customer service went above and beyond in fixing the mistake I made in my order.
Products used:
5ft 'Hosa HMIC-005 Pro Microphone Cable'
Date of experience: September 28, 2023
I've been a working musician for 40 years.
Always loved dealing with Sweetwater.
I purchased a Roland DJ-707m and was promised the Serato Suite software and it was not in the box. After days of different calls, I was told from customer care that the controller was supposed to automatically unlock in Serato after I registered it. After more days and days of trying, my sales person found out from the Roland sales rep, that the serial code was supposed to be included in the box. I have a DJ, karaoke gig that was booked to try to sustain my income until MGM is up and running with full concert entertainment/ nightclubs and this really messed up my gig.
I only spent the $1000 to try to make some money doing smaller venues. I am a working musician and guitar player with a full band normally and this was terribly disappointing. I liked the mixing capabilities of the Roland DJ-707m to do solo/duo shows, DJ break music, and to do karaoke, etc. Now my sales rep left for 3-4 vacation and I'm still left unable to unlock the software. I'm extremely surprised that a company with amazing track record dropped the ball so much. I had options to find open box deals from competitor companies for several hundred dollars less. I should've went that route and purchased the software. I think there's a good chance the software code was taken out of the box from someone before it shipped. It took some major convincing to my wife to spend the money because we are both employed in the entertainment industry and are struggling due to Covid-19. Either way, I've never left a negative review in 40 years, but I had to share my experience to help anyone in the future buying Roland controllers who are promised the Serato Suite package. Peace to all and stay safe.
Date of experience: August 19, 2020
Buy from Sweet Water! You won't regret it ever! They even follow up on your order after you receive it to see if it meets your expectations!
Date of experience: March 25, 2017
Sweetwater is my #1 source for guitars and guitar related merchandise. Fast, friendly and customer service is the best.
Date of experience: July 16, 2017
Have made several purchases from them and am happy with the service. Customer service and technical help is great.
Date of experience: August 31, 2017
Comprehensive stock + great prices + reliable delivery + the best service = an outstanding customer experience every time.
Date of experience: July 15, 2018
Sweetwater has an amazing customer service following in every step the order and finding solutions to satisfy the customer.
Tip for consumers:
If you are making an order outside USA and it looks impossible to do it don’t give up as solutions may be founded.
Products used:
Guitar neck
Date of experience: March 9, 2022
Great service, and if something is not right, they will make it right to make sure you are satisfied.
Date of experience: July 10, 2020
Just got my Eurolive B207MP3. Plan on using this as a DJ monitor. Just wanted to say thank you
Excellent service
Tip for consumers:
Excellent service ...
Date of experience: January 23, 2023
Things ordered ALWAYS arrive as advertised and in a timely manner. Customer service is clearly a priority.
Date of experience: May 14, 2021
Hi James,
Thank you for your positive review! We do everything in the best interest of the customer! We appreciate your business and are grateful to serve you!
-Quincee Musselman, Sweetwater Customer Experience
Sprawling megastore featuring high-quality musical instruments & studio recording gear.
How do you go from a portable 4-track recording rig in a Volkswagon bus to being the nation's leading retailer of professional recording and music equipment?
Chuck founded Sweetwater as a recording studio in Fort Wayne in 1979. The business was first located in his home on Getz Road, then moved to a subsequent home on Bass Road. Initially the fledgling company focused on providing recording services to local and national artists and businesses.
Two things prompted the leap from recording studio to music retailer. The first was Chuck's frustration with being unable to find a reliable, knowledgeable music technology retailer. Prices were outrageous, and after-sale technical service and support for the sophisticated electronics he used in his studio were non-existent.
Then, in the early 1980s, the revolutionary Kurzweil K250 appeared. This groundbreaking keyboard gave musicians and composers access to realistic orchestral and other sounds, opening new possibilities for music composition and performance. Chuck created his own sound library for the keyboard, and quickly gained a national reputation as an expert at programming the instrument. Renowned musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Kenny Rogers, and other top names began consulting with Chuck, purchasing K250 factory options and upgrades through him. Recognizing the industry's need for a new, dependable, customer-oriented approach to the musical instrument and professional audio sales channel, Sweetwater became a Kurzweil dealer to fulfill these requests.
As Chuck's expertise became known and the industry grew more sophisticated, those original K250 customers returned again and again for product advice. The company began representing more product lines, and rapidly developed and implemented its unique philosophy of relationship-based selling — treating customers as friends —and unmatched pre- and post-sale customer service.
Sweetwater's primary emphasis quickly shifted from recording studio to music retailer. A new building was constructed on Bass Road and was expanded four times to keep up with the skyrocketing growth of the company. But even that wasn't enough, as the company quickly grew to nearly 220 employees. In late 2005, Sweetwater began the process of moving to their new headquarters, located at the intersection of Kroemer Road and U.S. Highway 30. The location's 38,000-square-foot building will be expanded to a total of 150,000 square feet with the addition of a 40,0000-square-foot state-of-the-art distribution center, a rich-media auditorium and recording studios designed by world-renowned acoustician and studio designer Russ Berger, and a technical training center on a 44-acre property that will allow plenty of room for Sweetwater's massive projected growth: 175 additional full-time employees and $150 million in annual sales by 2009, and $180 million in annual sales and 450 total employees by 2010. Most recently, $1 billion is annual sales and over 2000 employees by 2020.
Today, Sweetwater is recognized as one of the most successful and fastest-growing music retailers in the nation. The company has been named to Inc. magazine's list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies three years in a row, and has received the Music Inc. magazine REX Award for excellence in retailing.
Richard, thank you for your amazing review! Each employee at Sweetwater strives to provide top-notch service to each customer! We are thankful to have the opportunity to serve customers like you!
- Quincee Musselman, Sweetwater Customer Experience